


Little Red Fire Ant

by sophasil



Category: Fallout New Vegas, Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-23
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-05-15 18:25:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5795215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophasil/pseuds/sophasil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Battle of Hoover Dam is largely against most courier's favour and it's certainly not in Lara's favour with no combat experience, weak armour defence, and lacklustre speech skills.</p><p>Please also note I said graphic depiction of violence but I'm not 100% sure? It might be like boarder line idk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Red Fire Ant

**Author's Note:**

> I just wrote this as a one off side au type thing about my courier while I work on my longer fic.
> 
> Tbh I described Lanius in this how my friend draws him bc I really like her dipiction of him, which is nothing to do with anything I just felt like mentioning.

The breeze hit Lara's face, cool and refreshing, her head had been covered this whole time by her stolen ranger helmet. If it wasn't already blatantly obvious she was in the Legate's camp, the smell of rotten flesh and burnt hair made it clear that she was in the belly of the beast. She'd only heard rumours about Lanius, one of them said no one outside the legion knew what Lanius looked like because he never let any of his enemies live if they didn't submit to Caesar's will. Everything she'd heard made him sound truly terrifying, Lara had wondered how much of what she'd heard was from Frumentarii who were placed in New Vegas just to spread Lanius rumours to scare her and the NCR off. 

The camp seemed almost practically empty, the Legionaires where all gathered around its edge. Over at the other side of the camp was a large tent that looked similar to Caesar's, a tall large man came out from inside, followed by four men she could identify as Praetorian Guards. He was dressed head to toe in brilliant golden armour, based on the rumours she was sure he must be the Legate.

The two approached each other, she was terrified but she wasn't about to let Lanius know it. They were only a few feet apart now and Lara felt even more terrified, he was at least seven feet tall, and sported a huge blade which he carried with ease. She wasn't sure how House and everyone else excepted her to stop the Legion with this guy leading the charge. "You're the Legate, I'm guessing?" She asked.

Lanius dug his blade into the ground and rested his hands on the hilt. With low growl he said, "an envoy of Vegas, yet you carry yourself for battle. If so, you cannot truly be of that city of cowards. I am the commander of this army. The Son of Mars has granted me the name Lanius. And the time to serve him has come once more."

Lara was only wearing a set of ill fitting leather armour, reenforced with some pieces of scrap metal on her arms and legs, his blade looked dulled but swung with enough force even if it didn't cause a cut in her skin or armour it would surely wind her. Her only weapon was a laser pistol she had modified to do some more damage but with his metal armour she was certain at least some of the laser would just be deflected off. "Well... I suppose technically l am from Klamath so-" she started. 

"Enough," Lanius boomed. 

"If you think you've got any chance of taking Hoover Dam, you're wrong," she said determined. 

Angry, Lanius growled, "many graves in the East are filled with those who said as much, with braver words, not backed by strength. It is Caesar's will this gate to the West bear the flag of the Legion. Caesar's will shall be done."

"But to avoid the humiliation maybe you'll be willing to listen to reason?" Lara said. 

"I see I was mistaken, you fight with words, like all beneath the flag of the bear. Let us hope your skill with weapons proves greater," Lanius grunted. 

If Lara couldn't win against him in a straight up fight, she was hoping she could convince him to postpone the attack at least for a little while. Slowly and slyly she said, "the position of your veterans, using the Dam's intake towers - all as expected." 

Lanius thought on what she was saying to him. "We did take the towers easier than expected. I cannot believe even the Republic would overlook such an opening in their defences." Lanius said to himself. Lanius looked over at the courier and said, "you play on my instincts. Yet your intention in this... you have nothing to gain by telling me of this... _trap_. Unless you seek to goad me into a retreat, leaving the battlefield and leaving my honor here to be trampled underfoot by Republic cowards."

Without any better idea Lara continued her bluff. "Hm. I have no love for the NCR, I feel that perhaps they should witness your full might rather than weakening your ranks with these underhand tactics. They've proven to be enough of a threat that even myself could reach you here. A tactical retreat, it would give you time to for the fallen to be replaced and for a better strategy to be devised," she told him. 

"Ha!" Lanius laughed, "Perhaps it is unfortunate Vulpes was not here to hear your words...something tells me you would prove more than his match. A weaker Legate may have fallen for you ploy, but I know all you are doing is trying to buy yourself and Vegas more time. Even with the losses made already I don't fear _'the might of the west'_. I shall make a cape of your skin. And your skull - it shall sit by my side, mute, watching as my armies march West."

Lanius seemed to show no signs of backing down, Lara was starting to run out of options. She was clutching at straws, hoping her bluff would be enough to make him back down. "Any man can claim bravery when he outnumbers his opponent."

"Hnh. I have seen little of true battle this day. And you were brave to come here to face me when all of NCR would not. I shall honor your last words and face you alone. No man will say I refused your challenge," Lanius grunted. The man picked up the blade and swung it over his shoulder. 

"I...I don't think that this is the right course of action...you-" Lara stuttered, stepping away slowly. 

"You came here to fight me, envoy of Vegas. You cannot back out now," Lanius grunted. 

"Technically I didn't come...to..." She said meekly. 

Lanius called off his entourage of Praetorian Guards to face his opponent alone, he didn't fear her at all, she was small and only carried a laser pistol into battle. Even without his hounds and guards he'd have no trouble taking her on. 

Lara carried on slowly stepping away from Lanius, she genuinely wondered if she could out run him. But then she thought if she ran away now what would happen "Legion would probably wipe out the NCR presence here, they have hardly anyone left and the Legion still have droves of them ready to go. Have to leave Vegas, Caesar will be coming for it once he has the Dam, can't stay too many Legionaires want me dead. Caesar would probably have me publicly whipped and crucified, that would be painful. Leave for Zion? Maybe hang around Joshua...or back towards Klamath and then keep going north? To old Canada? As far away from-" she thought to herself until Lanius' blade whacked against her ribs, she collapsed onto the hard ground with a thud. Lara forgot everything she was thinking about and just focused on the pain on her side, and the pain on her head. She was at least right over the fact his Blade was nowhere near sharp enough to cut her skin but it was definitely heavy enough to seriously hurt when it hit.

Lanius walked over to her, he looked down at the courier. He had to admit he was rather unimpressed with her performance "pathetic," he grunted. He kicked her onto her back and raised his sword ready to stab it into her chest, "you aren't even worth keeping alive, not with that, you've got no fight," he said. 

Before he could get rid of the courier for good she rolled out the way of the sword and scrambled to her feet and picked up her helmet hurrying to put it back on. Lara fumbled around her belt to unholster her laser pistol, she took a couple decent shots at Lanius but the lasers didn't little more than stagger him some. The shots did give Lara enough time to run and get some distance between them. Lanius continued his advance on her, honestly had wonder how she was going to get out of this alive and well.

Lanius took another well placed hit at her, whacking her diaphragm, but she was able to brace herself some this time, it didn't knock her over this time it still hurt terribly and winded her. Lara raised her pistol and took a couple decent shots at Lanius' helmet, she hoped it would knock the helmet off and she could get a couple shots at his face to do some real damage. The shots didn't take off his helmet but it caused a concussion; Lanius fell to the floor, when he got up he was angrier than he was before. He removed his helmet and clutched his head in pain; he stumbled a little before regaining himself. 

Without his helmet on Lanius revealed to have dark tanned skin, and wild greying brown hair; part of his face was scarred and burnt, Lara wondered if the full body armour was to hide that or if it was just aesthetical. Lara thought he looked just like someone with the title 'Monster of the East' should look.

Lanius charged at her, Lara tried to get some decent shots at him but he was too fast; Lanius grabbed her arm and threw her onto the floor. Lara hissed at the pain of where her body hit the ground and the pain in her arm where Lanius had gripped it. She didn't know how much more she could put up with, Lanius wasn't about to give up and she was ready to. She was scared of dying slowly, and painfully, and pathetically feeling sorry for herself because she couldn't help anyone out and all coming to Hoover Dam achieved was a miserable death. Lara laid down on the rocky ground; when she first took up being a courier she was so bothered about sand and dirt getting in her hair, but now she couldn't care less if it was dirty, matted, or soaked in blood. Lanius loomed over her "Monster of the East," she thought, right now it felt wholly appropriate he hardly looked human from her angle. Lara figured he was going to finish what he tried earlier, a quick stab to the chest and it would be over. Lanius had other plans, he picked her up by her armour's collar and dragged her across the camp to one of the walls of corrugated metal. This was as close as she was going to get as a chance, Lanius slammed her body against the wall, as she was hung there she took her opportunity. Without much thought Lara wildly attack his face scratching furiously at his eyes, hoping she could maybe blind him. He attempted to choke her by placing his free hand over her neck but it only gave her the better opportunity to slash and hack away at his face. Lanius eventually dropped her and backed away, his face was bloody. Lara didn't know if she'd managed to blind him but the blood now flowing down his face would certainly impair his vision. He wiped away some of the blood from his face before he came back at her. Like before he grabbed her by the collar a violently hit her against the wall, he did it again, and again, and again, and again until he finally stopped. This time Lara had nothing, she had no strength left in her; Lanius let her go and she just slummed to the floor. He removed her helmet to see if she was still alive, her eyes darted over to him telling him all he needed to know. Lanius wasn't about to get any closer in case she tried slashing at him again, but by the look of her she had given up. "Pathetic," Lanius said. 

She lay on the ground not moving, the best she could manage was heavy breaths. Finally she closed her eyes, she hoped that this would be how it ended dying sad and alone curled up in the Legate's camp, at least this way she wouldn't have to see the face of the people in Vegas she let down or Caesar's smug face - because she was certain surviving would lead to having to see Caesar's smug face again. 

Some time later Lara woke, she wasn't in the same place as before. This place was a small cage, only enough room to fit a dozen people in. She didn't feel like getting up so she looked around to see what she could see from where she was. It was still the Legate's camp, she was fairly certain though Legion camps tended to look very similar so she could have been wrong. Eventually she realised there was something on her that wasn't there before, she reached up and touched her neck to find a bomb collar had been tightly latched on her. The more she dwelled on it the more she really wished the Legate had just killed her. She also happened to notice some water and a small cut of bread were in the cage with her, she reached over to grab it. She wasn't so concerned with the bread but it was the water she wanted, she was getting sun-scorched lying out there all day with no protection. After drinking all the water she went back to sleep. 

Lara was woken up by the sounds of someone opening the cage, if it was time for her execution she was ready. The voice was soft and gentle, "Courier? Courier Six? Are you awake?" Lara opened her eyes to see a woman in her mid-thirties kneeling besides her. "Come with me," the woman said. Lara didn't know what else she could really do so she just complied and followed the woman. "Please don't try and escape, the collar will explode," the woman told her. Lara didn't say anything but she listened to the woman and figured it best to not try running. 

Walking around Lara could tell this time that they were still in the Legate's camp. The woman led her to a relatively small tent. The tent had very little in it, a tub of water, two chairs, and a desk with some basic medical supplies. "My name is Siri, we met...well I've seen you at The Fort. I'm supposed to check you over, make sure you aren't immediately dying," Siri explained. 

"And then what?" Lara asked her sheepishly. 

"I am sorry, I don't know. Usually slaves are checked over by the slave master, 'broken in', and then taken wherever, but usually slaves aren't Vegas' envoy, get beaten half to death by the Legate, and still attempt to slash his eye out. I hear it was impressive," Siri told her. 

Lara shrugged and sat down on one of the chairs. She wasn't sure what exactly Siri planned to do, she felt like shit. "No offence but-" Lara started.

"You don't think I can help," Siri said, "I can't. I don't have the knowledge or the equipment. I can only help you a little. Can you remove your armour?"

"Wait what?" Lara said.

"So I can check you, I need you to take off your armour," Siri explained.

"I would rather not," she told her.

"You can keep your underwear on if that's what's bothering you. You aren't from a tribe are you? People from the NCR are a lot more modest than anyone from the Mojave or tribes out east," Siri said.

She didn't overly like it but a little medical treatment was better than none she figured. She unlatched the metal plates, followed by the leather armour, and then finally her shorts and tank top.

Siri tried to hide it but she couldn't stop herself from grimacing, Lanius had beat her black and blue. Siri started on her head, looking it over, there appeared to be no obvious injury to it and was largely okay. Her neck had gone red and sore where Lanius had tried to choke her, and it was the same case for her arm where he'd gripped it. Her torso was the worst part. Her rib cage was largely bright red and purple, Siri prodded it gently and Lara hissed from the pain. "I think you have a broken rib, I'd say trying to avoid anything strenuous for about two months but honestly here I don't know what you'll be doing," Siri told her. Everywhere else just had some minor bruising, Siri did find a small cut on the back her leg, she cleaned it out with some water and stitched it back up to stop the bleeding even if it was very light. "Do you want to wash? It doesn't have any healing benefits but it might help you feel slightly more human and less like a battered corpse," Siri asked. Lara just shook her head. "Is it the clothes thing? I'm sorry I'm supposed to stay with you until you are back in that pen. I can sit and face the door if you like," Siri explained. This time Lara nodded to her suggestion. Siri came over to her and undid the collar "don't want you getting shocked, you've been through enough," she said, "but please don't run, you'll only make everything worse. I know there aren't many of them out there but that's because they securing the Dam. You run out there you won't get far." Siri dragged one of the chairs over to the tent flap and sat to face it. 

Lara waited a while before she finally decided to get in, she didn't want to be looked at in the state she was in or ever. It wasn't that she didn't trust Siri she was just paranoid she'd have to add her to the list of people who would judge her for being a failure. The water was cool and did help her slightly feel better. Washing the dirt off was nice. She dunked her head under and tried to wash her hair. She doubted it but she asked anyway, "is there any soap?"

Siri had tuned out slightly so was startled when Lara asked. "Yes, I'll get it for you," she said. She walked over to the desk and rummage in her bag until she pulled out a block of soap. She turned around to see Lara meekly curled up in the tub, legs pressed against her chest. "Here," Siri said offering Lara the soap bar.

"Thanks," Lara whispered taking the soap. Siri returned to her chair, and Lara relaxed back into the tub. She dunked her head under water again and scrubbed the wet soap into her hair. When she was relatively clean she got out and dried herself off with a towel. She put her shorts and top back on, and stared at her armour "Siri," she said, "I don't suppose I'm good to put my armour back on am I?"

"No, I'm sorry, " Siri told her. Siri reattached the collar, leaving it loser around her neck this time, and took Lara back to the cage. Lara sat in the cage feeling sorry for herself, watching the people go past. She was still sore from her fight, she sat up against the wire wall and tried to go back to sleep.

Again she was woken up by the sound of someone entering the cage. It was cool this time, eventually Lara realised it was in fact nighttime. "...did you see it though?" A voice asked.

"No," a second one replied.

"Impressive, I heard he's gone blind in one eye. You can see the marks on his face when he sometimes takes it off. He's been doing it less though now, I think he's embarrassed," the first voice said.

"Is she awake?" The second voice asked.

Lara opened her eyes and hissed, "yes," at them.

"Good for you," the first voice said, she saw that the two men were Praetorian guards. She didn't know the first one, but the second she did. From The Fort, Lucius. They tied up her hands behind her back and stuck a bag over her head, they dragged her out of the cage. Lara didn't know how long they'd dragged her for but she was disoriented, she hardly knew the Legion territory or their operations. They eventually dumped her somewhere, they didn't bother to take the bag off.

She couldn't see anything with the bag over her head, Lara just sat in silence waiting for the next person to show up. When they did, she'd rather they hadn't. The bag was pulled off and she was greeted by Caesar sitting opposite her, Lucius was next to him, and he was joined by Vulpes who pulled the bag off. "Courier, do you know why you're here?" Caesar asked.

"If this is about that casino gold, I can say it's not worth in. The cloud, the ghosts, the nearly constantly dying from beeping, that prick Elder Elijah," she said.

" _Please_ , don't test me. I am willing to not have you killed, and trust me this is the very popular choice for you right now, but in return you have got to tell me something," Caesar explained.

At this point there seemed so little point in trying she was just purposely trying to annoy him now "fine! It's true we did set the building on fire, you fill a bag with shit and light it but it got out of hand," she told them as if she were confessing. 

Caesar let out a suffering sigh, "Lucius, please." The Praetorian Guard came over to her and struck her across the face. It stung like hell but in the grand scheme of things her face hurt no more than the rest of her. "Courier, how do we take out House?" Caesar asked.

"I'm not following," she said back.

"Those robots, House's robots, how do we effectively take them out?" Caesar asked in frustration.

"You think I know? I don't know, and if I did I wouldn't say," she snapped.

"Fine, you'll crack eventually," he said. The three of them left the her to sit in the dark room by herself. When the door was opened she saw some machinery on the other side of the room, if she had to guess she'd guess that they had her hold up in the old weather station.

A long time later Vulpes returned. He sat down opposite, where Caesar had been, he didn't say anything. Lara just watched him, saying nothing as well. After sometime he finally spoke, "you can try to play this game if you like but it's easier on everyone if you just tell Caesar what he wants."

"And what if I truly don't know?" Lara asked.

"I don't believe you don't know, you fixed that Eyebot, you hacked a Securitron to get into Vegas, you have destroyed enough robots in the desert alone for me not to believe that you don't know. So explain and it will all be a lot easier," Vulpes said.

"And how would you know that?" She hissed.

"It's my job to know," he told her plainly.

"Well what if I don't believe what Caesar says?" Lara asked.

Vulpes stood up and started pacing back and forth. "You don't have to tell us anything, Miss Cox, we can't force you, you'll either tell us or you won't. One thing I know for certain is we will get into Vegas with or without your help, and if we get into Vegas without your help you immediately become expendable. And when you become expendable you are of otherwise no use, and what will happen is you will be dragged out there and whipped, and whipped until you back bleeds and it will hurt far more than those bruises you have, and once that's over you'll be treated just enough so you stay alive a little longer so you can be lashed to a cross and you'll stay up there until you slowly die. Is that what you want?" Vulpes said coldly.

Lara shook her head. "Okay, I'll say," she whispered.

"Good," Vulpes muttered. He cut the ropes around her hands and pulled her up. When they got outside the light was blinding, she'd been in the old weather station too long. It was difficult to see but she squinted enough to be able to follow Vulpes to Caesar's tent.

Lara was a little confused when they got there, the first time she went to The Fort there were six Praetorian Guards, Vulpes, and two dogs, now there were only five of them in that tent. She was ushered over to the large table, she was sat on one side while Caesar, Vulpes, Lucius, and Lanius were sat on the other. Lara noted Lanius was wearing his helmet, she wondered if it was just what he did or if it was over the account of the scratches that supposedly covered his face. Caesar couldn't have possibly sounded happier when he was talking, "so you finally decide to stop being stubborn? Great news honestly, it was tiring. So, I'll ask you again, how do we take out House?"

Lara sighed, this wasn't how she wanted anything. "He'll have all his Securitrons ready, I don't know if House thinks he can take you all out with what he has but he'll certainly try. Destroying the bunker was a curveball he didn't see coming," she said.

"Yes, that was Vulpes' brilliant idea," Caesar praised. It was brief but Lara saw a wide grin on Vulpes face over the statement.

"The Securitrons are resistant to shrapnel and small arms fire, machetes, spears, and over fire arms most Legionaires carry won't do anything to them. They're armed with machine guns, gatling lasers, grenade launchers, and rocket launchers, they'd just get wiped out immediately. The robots also have onboard auto-repair systems to repair any damage sustained from combat, a Securitron can handle nearly any combat situation. You can enter the code 1C 3C R34 M, that's how I got into Vegas the first time, it stops the ones outside The Strip's entrance from being hostile and let's you enter without the cap requirements or a Strip passport. Hunting rifles will damage the Securitrons, I know how to disable them but that would be too hard to teach, if you shoot their antenna you can make them go berserk, they'll attack anything," Lara told them.

"Good to know," Caesar said, "what else."

"House is on the top floor of the Lucky 38 were he controls Vegas, they'll be Securitrons there too. That's all I know, I swear," Lara said.

"Hm, that is a lot of useful information. One last thing, how would you propose one or two people sneak in undetected?" Caesar asked.

"The sewers. The sewers in Freeside, Westside, The Strip, they all connect," she told them.

"Interesting. Lanius, I want you to be ready to lead an assault. Vulpes, make sure that the other factions in that city are scared and disorganised," Caesar ordered. 

Vulpes took her back to the weather station, little was said between the two of the. He tied her hands back up , before he left he said one thing, "nice work on Lanius, he's real sore about what happened to him. It's great. It proves his lack of foresight as a leader. Good work."

"No problem," she muttered, she had no idea what he meant but she didn't care that much.

Time rolled on regardless of whether she kept track of it or not. Lara sat in that room, she did nothing most of the time, sometimes she'd go to Caesar's tent and they'd talk then she'd go back to that little room. Her pip-boy was eventually removed, she never found out where in went. After some time she was no longer forced to wear the collar or have her hands bound, they didn't keep her in the old weather station she now stayed with Siri. Siri had tried to teach her basic medicines but they never stuck with Lara. Eventually in between talking with Caesar, and staying with Siri they got her fixes stuff that was broken, albeit there was very little for her to fix apart from guns. 

"How long had it been? A month? Two months? Not long enough to be a year?" Lara thought as she stood outside Legion occupied Vegas. The fighting had all but ceased and Caesar finally stood where we wanted, in a city he could call his Rome. 

"You helped make this, Lara, are you proud of that? I am for the part I played," Vulpes had said.

It wasn't so bad, the people were largely free, of course they were stuck with weapons manufacturing or agriculture and not much else but they weren't forced to fight to the death or cooks, cleaners, and forced to have sex. It was never as bad as she thought it would be but it still certainly wasn't the best it could be. Maybe over time the former people of New Vegas would forgive her for failing, but wasn't sure she could forgive herself for not just running away from her problems. It wasn't so bad for her in the end, the return to Vegas she got most of her old clothes and books back, and she didn't have to sleep in a tent on an uncomfortable cot anymore. She still couldn't bare to look anyone in the eyes but she still got to fix stuff like she had before, and Caesar had her deliver messages and reports across the greater New Vegas area, she thought it like being a courier but on a much smaller scale.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm writing much longer legion oriented fic about my courier, you can check that out if you want


End file.
